Coin controlled vending machine



June 9, 1931. A. THOKE COIN CONTROLLED VENDING 'MACHIN'E Filed Dec. 19, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l IN V E NTO R @KW7/fa@ and. 6 ma mi A. THOKE June 9, 1931.

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVE NTOR @MW 7M s s E N .ll t w x June 9, 1931. A. THOKE COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Deo. 19, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I lll l l l I WOTNESS @www June 9, 1931. A. THOKE COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 9, 1931 Unirse STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT THOKE, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO D. L. CLARK COMPANY,

"PITTSBURGH, ENI-TSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA COIN COTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Application led December 19, 1928.

My invention relates to coin-controlled vending machines and consists in `features of structure by virtue ot which a relatively simple mechanical organization is adapted to '5 conditions of service, and rendered certain and durable in operation.

Apparatus embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Fig. I is a view of the apparatus, seen partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section. Fig. II is a Jfragmentary View in crosssection and to somewhat larger scale, on the plane indicated at II-II, Fig, I. Fig. III is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section and to larger scale still, on a plane parallel to the plane ot section of Fig. I, the plane indicated at III-III,VFig. II. Fig. IV is a view of the apparatus seen partly in rear ele- I vation and partly in vertical section, the plane of section being at right angle to that of Fig. I. Fig. V is a fragmentary view in elcvation of a certain removable operating meniber which in Fig. IV is shown in dotted lines. Fig. VI is a fragmentary view, showing to larger scale a. portion of the structure as seen in Fig. IV. Figs. VII, VIII, and IX are fragmentary views in section, on planes at right angles to that ot Fig. VI. The direction of view in Figs. VII-IX is in each case from v left to right, Fig. VI. rIhe scale to which Figs. VII and VIII are drawn is somewhat smaller than that of Fig. VI; the scale of IX is the same as that of Fig. VI. In Fig. VI the plane ot section or Fig. IX is indicated at IX-IX.

A casing l includes an obliquely extending front wall in which is set a` window 2. Within this casing and beneath this window by means presently to be described, a succession ot articles A to be vended is caused to advance downwardly. An oritice is formed in the wall of the casing at' the lower end of the obliquely extending front wall., and a delivery table 3, integral with the casing, is provided with upwardly extending fingers I which, cooperating with the article-advancing means, release the articles one by one and allow them to descend and to lie free upon'the delivery table 3, whence they may be taken by the vendees.

Serial No. 326,946.

The casing is conveniently formed of metal, and the window 2 is conveniently closed by a plate of glass. The iront plate ot the casing at its upper end is hinged to the body, as is indicated at 5, and may at the lower end carry a lock, indicated at 6. The front plate of the casing is provided with lateral glass-retain ing flangesv 7 The flanges are outwardly rounded and throughout the greater part of their extent are conveniently formed of sheet metal. A bloclr` 8 which completes the window trame at the outer and lower end ot the front plate of the casing 4(and which may carrythe lock.)v is provided with fingers 9. These fingers telescope withinl the tlanges 7 at their lower ends.l Securing screws l0 are provided. By `such means the plate of glass, securely held in place in the front readily removable and replaceable.

The casing may be equipped with an electric light bulb 11 suitably connected and supported,-and arranged-toshine upon the window and to illumine the articles within.,k By well-known means of connection and control the light may it desired fbe caused to shine intermittently. f l

The casing may conveniently be of the form and'dimensions shown, including opposite parallel walls, standing apart at an interval determined by the length of the articles tobe'vended. In sideelevation the casing is conveniently of the general triangular shape shown, and includes a horizontal base, a vertical rear wall, and the obliquely inclined front wall, already described. It may be understood that within the casing an endless conveyor for the articles to be vended extends around the triangular periphery. The rear wall of the casing is conveniently provided with a door, and, within the door, a removable retaining strip 12 is provided which, cooperating with the conveyor for the articles,- retains them in place when the door is opened. AThe strip is preferably removable, to the end that the conveyor may with facility be loaded. y

Vithin the casing and mounted upon its walls idly turning sprocket wheels are jourplate, is

nalled.I upon which the Vendless conveyor is Y trained.

The conveyor includes sprocket chains 13, of which conveniently there are two, and

`which immediately engage the sprocket wheels, and bars 14 riveted ,at their ends to links of the two sprocket chains. The bars are conveniently shaped of sheet metal. Each includes a body which extends in the plane of advance. The body conveniently includes off-set portions, both to afford greater rigidity and to afford more ready cooperation with the lingers 4 with which the delivery table is equipped, as already described. From the face or outer side of the body of the bar article-retaining fingers extend. rPhe fingers 15 extending from the body at its forward edge are preferably arranged nearer the ends of the body,fand the fingers 16 extending from the rear edges are nearer the middle of the body. Each bar carries one article, andthe fingers 15 and 16 of each bar are so spaced and shaped as to hold a single article, and to hold it with suicient security that it will remain in place .until dislodged by the means provided for such purpose, but will by such means be dislodged with facility. The articles which I primarily contemplate are packages of confectionary wrapped in paper, and these are of sufficient superficialelasticity to render them adaptable to handling bythe means described. Y

The bars 14 are additionally equipped each with two rearward extensions, conveniently formed by-slitting from the edge ofthe sheetmetal plate and bending aside the tongue 17.

Within the casing a plate 43 having a curvedend is arranged.` 'The plate underlies the inclined `and windowed front face of the casing, and its curved end is arranged adjacent the fingers 4 at the edge of the delivery orifice of Ythe casing. The conveyor runs over the face. of this plate andbeneath the window 2. The bars -14 which form the article seats in the conveyor are maintained in position by engagement of the extensions 17- upon lthe plate 43. Vhen the advancing conveyor brings an article seatto the lower edgeof plate `48 and begins to round 'the ad jacent sprocket wheels the article seat swings toward the vertical,and the article, being at the same time engaged from beneath and by virtue of the offsets in bars 14 by the fingers 4, is 'by the advance'ofthe conveyor stripped from its seat and delivered `to 'the table 8.

A-shafft 18 journalled within the casing carries lajsprocke't wheel 44, and a sprocket chain is trained upon wheel 44 and upon a companionfsprocket wheel mounted upon 4'the axle of oneof 4the pairs of sprocket wheels which carryv the conveyor. From shaft 18 theconveyoris driven, andthe driving means are such that,'by varying the actual and relative sizes of the sprocket wheels, .the space interval of advance of the conveyor in resposeto a revolution or a fraction of a revolue tion of shaft 18 may be determined with precision.

The shaft 18 carries a disk 19, and disk V19 is provided with a peripheral flange in which are cut notches 20.

A bar 21 mounted upon a suitable support within the casing is at its outer end formed with a cleft brake sleeve 22. This brake sleeve engages and surrounds the shaft 18. As a matter of structure, the shaft 18 is immediately surrounded by a sleeve or bushing keyed to it, which sleeve carries sprocket 44 and disk 19. The bushing is in the description identified with the shaft. The two members of the cleft sleeve frictionally engage the shaft 18 by virtue of spring-backed bolts 51 which tend to draw the two members together. By these means a drag is imposed on shaft 18 which, permitting rotation, checks rotation When the rotative force ceases, and so prevents overrunning ofthe shaft in its rotation.

The bar 2l isa bridge, and carries interme diate its length in a suitably shaped bearing 23 a longitudinally movable and'rotatable bolt 24. 25, to form with the notches 2O a ratchet, controlling the rotation of shaft 18, and to lpermit normal rotation in one direction only. The bolt is spring-backed. and tends to assume notch-engaging position. The bolt is further provided with a transversely ex tending pin 26 and the bearing 23 inthe bridge member is slotted at 27, to the end .that the bolt may during normal operation be maintained with its head properly aligned in notch-engaging position. The pinand slot 'engagement possesses this further capacity: -that, when 'the bolt is retracted beyond engagement lwith the notches upon disk 19, the pin 26 withdrawn from the slot, the bolt may be rotated and then released. Thepin 26 then, engaging the rear face of the bearing, will retain the bolt in retracted position.

The disk l19, on the face opposite that toward and from which `the bolt 26 moves, is equipped with coin-'receiving Irecesses 28. These recesses are, as best-seen `in Fig. VII, roundbottomed andtheir forward -and rearward walls diverge from Ythe recess bottoms outwardly. The direction of rotation as viewed in this figure -is counter-clockwise, and it will be-observed that whereas the rear wall ofthe recess is radial in the direction of lits extent, or substantially so, the `forward wall is inclined to the radius, and is of rearward and outward inclination.

, The disk 19 on this same face is further provided. with aicircumferential slot 29, pref erabl-y somewhat deeper than the coin-receiving spaces 28, and' intersecting these spaces, as -the drawings show. The coin-receiving spaces are of proper breadthat the .edge-of the-disk :to receive af coin -fintroduced flat-wise, and their rounded bottoms are conveniently The bolt is provided with a head proportioned to receive snugly in positionl the intended coins.

Aligned with shaft 18 is a shaft 30, also mounted for rotation. Shaft 30 carries a disk 31. llhen the parts are assembled the face of disk 31 cooperating with the recessed disk 19 forms coin pockets which are open only at the periphery of the two-part structure. rllhe disk 31 carries an outstanding lug 32, and in the assembly this lug' extends into the circumferential groove 29 in disk 19.

Vhcn a coin is in place in a coin pocket in the assembled disks, and when the shaft 30 and with shaft 3G disk 31 is rotated, turning in one direction will effect expulsion of the coin; turning in the opposite and normal vending direction will, through the intermediation of the coin, effect rotation of shaft 18 and the advance of the conveyor in coordination therewith. r1`his difference in eifecbetween opposite turnings of shaft 30 is consequent upon the dierence in inclination of the forward and rear walls of the coin recesses in disk 19.

Shaft 30 projects through the casing wall and externally is provided with an operating crank arm 33. An opening in the opposite wall of the casing allows the application to the end of shaft 1S of a removable crank arn or wrench 34.

The disk 31 upon the side opposite to that which faces disk 19 is provided with a stop, conveniently in the form of an outstanding strengthening' diametrically-entending welt 35, prolonged in opposite radially extending arms, and this welt, engaging stops 3G, 37 suitably placed, and conveniently mounted upon a sector-shaped plate and secured to the casing, limits the range of turning of shaft 30. A retra ctile spring 38 secured at its opposite ends to one arm of the disk 31 and to the casing holds the shaft 19 normally retracted but yields to allow the shaft to turn when operating pressure is exerted on crank arin 33. The stops 36, 37 in this instance limit the range of turning to 30.

A coin chute 39 conveys an introduced coin by gravity from the slot 40 where the vendee inserts it, and delivers it to an upwardly opening coin pocket between disks 19 and 31. This coin chute at a point intermediate its extent and over a nether wall is ported, as 41. The opening is of such size that a coin of smaller size than that intended for operation of the machine will fall out and fail to reach the coin pocket. The slot 40 will be made of such size as to exclude coins which are too large.

Rotation through 60 carries the coin pocket which has received a coin from a position of communication with chute 39 and brings the next succeeding coin pocket to such position of communication. A guard 45 holds the coins in their pockets until the pockets come successively to discharge position above a tray 42; whereupon the coin falls into the tray.

The shaft 18 may carry a disk 46 with bosses 47 to trip a ringing lever 4S for a bell 49, and the bosses may be so placed that with each operation the bell rings. Y v

In operation, the vendee, when .he has thrust a coin into slot 40, swings the crank arm 33 against spring tension to the limit of its 60 range. vWhen he does so the lug 32 upon disk 31 engaging the coin which has descended to the bottonir of a coin pocket in position to receive it, drives through the intermediaticn of the coin the disk 19. Thus shaft 18 is turned through an angular range cle carriers of the conveyor succeed one another. The lowermost article on that reach of the conveyor which descends within the obliquely disposed front 7 of the casing is engaged by lingers 4 and stripped from the advancing conveyor and allowed to slide freely downward and to rest free upon the table 3, whence the vendee may remove it. When the vendee releases the crank arm 33 the tension of the spring becomes effective to turn the shaft 30 and the crank arm 33 with it back to initial position. In this retrograde turning the lug 32 upon disk 31 will move backward in slot 29 until it comes to position ready on the next operation to cooperate wit-h a coin introduced in the next coin pocket, which in the initial operation has come to the position which the coin pocket in advance of it had previously occupied.

Uien the apparatus is to be loaded the rear door of the casing is opened and stem 24 is withdrawn, releasing disk 19 from detent A2O. To accomplishthis the end of stem 24 may be provided with a-pin 50, by which the stein maybe engaged, withdrawn against spring tension, and then turned, that pin 26 may re vtain it in withdrawnV position. The end of crank 34 shaped as particularlyv shown in Fig. V may be employed to effect this.

lvVhen stem 24 has been with drawn the crank 34 is applied to shaft 18, and shaft 18 may then be freely turned in either direction,

and through the open rear door the carrier may-be loaded.

lVhen reloading of the conveyor has been completed, bolt 24 is released and crank arm 34 is turned until the head 25 of bolt 24 engages a notch on the rim of disk 19. The notches are so situated that when such engagement is made one of the six coin pockets is in coin-receiving position.v With the turning of disk 19 in response to the swinging of the crank arm 33, a coin being in place in the coin pocket, the bolt 24 yields, and when an advance rotation of 60 has been effected the bolt springs forward to position in the next Gil ' iva notch to hold the disk 19 in position for the next operation and to prevent retrograde turning of disk 19.

lith-each operation disk 19 turns 60 and rests; but disk 31 advances 60o and then recedes again 60.

l claim as my invention:

1. 1n a. coin controlled vending machine a shat't rotatable Within a casing, means for rotating said shaft in one direction, a notched disk borne by said shaft, a. bar secured at one end to said casing and at the other end engaging said shaft in the form of a springcompressed bearing, said bar being provided with a bore, and a bolt mounted in said bore and movable both rotatably and longitudinally therein and adapted to engage the notches of said disk.

2. The structure. of claim 1, together with a spring tending to hold said bolt in longitudinally advanced and disk-engaging position, and means for holding the bolt in retracted position andthe spring under tension.

3. rilhe structure of claim 1, together With a spring tending to hold said bolt in longitudinally advanced and disk-engaging position, the said bolt being provided With a transversely extending pin and the bore in said bar being notched transversely with a notch terminating at the rear in a vtransversely extending surface.

1. In av coin-controlled vending machine a casing, a conveyor' arranged Within the casing, and means for driving the conveyor, the conveyor including a succession of seats for articles to be vended, each seat including a sheet-metal body provided at its forward edge with terminally arranged, article-holding lugs and provided at its rearward edge With medially arranged, article-holding lugs.

5. rEhe structure of claim 4, the sheet metal body of the article seat being provided With an off-set recess intermediate its extent.y

6. In a coin controlled vending machine a 4;; casing providedv With adelivery orifice, a

lplate Within the casing provided With a curved end, the plate being arranged With its curved end adjacent such delivery oriice, a conveyor arranged Within the casing and movable over said plate, and means for driving said conveyor, the conveyor being provided with an article-receiving seat including a sheet-metal body having a rearward plateengaging extension.

.55 In testimony whereof I have hereunto setY my hand.

ALBERT THOKE. 

